NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A now former janitor at a Northwest Miami-Dade private school was arrested after he allegedly paid a 12-year-old student $5 to perform a sexual act.
Miami-Dade Police said 33-year-old Jermaine Garret-Hudson worked at Sheyes of Miami Learning Centers & Elementary School, located at 3038 NW 48th Terrace in the Brownsvilled neighborhood.
Detectives said the victim told them that the suspect approached him in December of 2023 and offered to pay him $5 in exchange for oral sex.
Attorney Stephanie Ducheine-Welsh, who is representing the victim’s family, told 7News that Garret-Hudson had made sexual advances to the boy several times before.
“[The victim’s mother] was told by her child that since last year, there was a janitor that was exposing himself, exposing his genital areas to him at least on two different occasions” she said.
Detectives said the victim performed the sexual act on Garret-Hudson and they went their separate ways.
The student’s mother reported the incident to police in late February. She spoke with 7News on Friday.
“I went to go pick my kids up from school. When my daughter got in the car, she told me that she heard rumors about my son performing a sexual act with the school janitor,” she said.
Garret-Hudson was arrested on Tuesday.
The boy’s mother, who asked not to be identified or show her face on camera, said her son was deeply affected by the incident.
“Mentally, he’s just not the same. I could tell; he tries to keep himself occupied so he doesn’t think about it,” she said, “and he told me that it did affect him a lot.”
A 7News crew went to Garret-Hudson’s home on Friday. His family did not want to talk.
Garret-Hudson was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. On Wednesday, he appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer.
“I’m going to grant the state’s motion for pretrial detention,” she said.
The suspect faces charges of human trafficking and lewd and lascivious battery.
“Count one, human trafficking, is no bond., and count two is a second-degree felony. That bond is $7,500,” said Glazer.
The victim’s family told 7News that other families at the school had been complaining about Garret-Hudson and inappropriate advances that he was allegedly making toward their children for over a year.
Sheyes of Miami Learning Centers & Elementary School did not immediately respond to 7News’ request for comment.
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